Automatic rope lock



y 1934- w. T. KLINE AUTOMATIC ROPE LOCK Filed Oct. 21, 1935 MLTER T KL/NE Patented May 1, 1934 STES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rope locks; and more particularly, locks that automatically grip the rope to prevent the same receding upon the pull on the rope ceasing and means for automatically releasing the locking means upon the pull being resumed.

Heretofore various devices have been utilized in an attempt to solve this problem. Most of these, however, require some manual manipulation for either looking or releasing which is highly objectionable since the operator must divert his attention from supervising the pulling of the rope to the throwing of a dog or lever in connection with the locking device. if he makes a mistake in manipulating the dog or lever serious consequences may result.

The prime object of the invention is to produce av structure that will leave the rope or cable free to be drawn in one direction so long as force is exerted on it, and will automatically grip the rope to prevent the same returning upon the pulling force being suspended.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact structure that is emcient in operation and does not require supervision.

Other objects will be disclosed in the specification and claims forming a part of this application.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a top plan with the casing partly broken away;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the housing looking at the housing in the direction of the arrow designated 3;

Figure 4 is an end elevation looking at the housing in the direction of the arrow designated 4; and

Figure 5 is a detailed perspective of the sliding dog.

Referring to the drawing in which similar parts are designated with like numerals:

Numeral 6 designates a housing having a base plate 7 adapted to be secured to the bow or stern of a boat or to a wall. The base plate *7 has holes 8 adapted to receive screws or bolts for securing the same in position.

Mounted within the housing 6 is a frame 9 having sidewalls 10 and a top 11, the whole being pivotally suspended and held in position by a bolt 12 which extends through the frame 9 and through the walls of the housing 6 where it is secured in place by a cotter pin 13 or other securing means. Within the frame 9 are mounted two pulleys 14 and 14', the pulleys being spaced from the top 11 a sufiicient distance to permit a rope 15 passing over the pulleys 14 and 14' and under the top 11. A pulley 16 is mounted in the housing 6 by way of a bolt 1'7 supported by the sides of the housing 6 and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the pulley 14. A bushing 18 is mounted in the housing 6 below and to one side of the pulley 14 to permit the rope 15 to pass therethrough. A sliding dog 19 is pivotally secured at 20 to the top 11 of the frame 9 and having its other end 21 slotted to ride on a support 22 in the form of a rod which extends across the housing 6. A flat spring 23 is supported by a rod 24 at one end and extends through a split bolt 25 with its other end 26 in contact with the end 2'7 of the frame 9. Although the anchor or other weight on the end of the rope would normally tilt the frame 9 so as to assume the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, at times when the anchor might be on the bottom there would not be suiiicient pull to throw the rope into engagement with the dog 19 so that the spring 26 serves to keep the frame 9 tilted and the dog 19 in engagement with the rope 15 at all times, except when the rope 15 is being pulled.

It is obvious that this device may be used in connection with weighing the anchor in boats, dumb waiters, and many other devices where the rope or cable with the weight on the end is raised and it is desired to relieve the tension during the raising operation.

As actually used, the rope or cable 15 will be passed through bushing 18 through the frame 9 over the pulleys l4 and 14', under the pulley 16, and out through the housing 6. The frame 9 having a single pivotal support 12 which acts as a fulcrum, is tilted due to the weight on the end of the rope and due to the spring 23 exerts a pressure on the end 2'7 of the frame 9. As the rope 15 is pulled rearwardly'through the housing in the direction oppositeto the arrows shown in Figure 2 and under the pulley 16, the frame 9 will swing anti-clockwise about its fulcrum 12 and will assume a horizontal position due to the pressure of the rope on pulley 14', which in turn will be moved out of rope-gripping engagement with the dog 19. It is to be noted that the dog 19 is pivoted at 20 and freely slidable on the support 22 so that as the frame 9 assumes a horizontal position, the dog 19 will likewise assume a horizontal position and be carried out of engagement with the rope l5. I

The rope lock disclosed herein is intended to operate only when all rearward tension is released on the rope 15. When the rope is pulled rearwardly, either manually or by a winch or capstan, it is, of course, under tension, and therefore holds the housing in horizontal position out of locking engagement with the dog 19. This true whether the rope is pulled in one direction to raise the anchor 01' weight, or is paid out in the other direction to lower the weight. The lock comes into operation only when the rope slips from the hands of the operator or becomes disengaged from the capstan or winch; that is, when all tension-pull or pay-out is removed from the rope in the rear of the look. When this occurs, the spring 26 immediately acts upon the housing to lock the rope and prevent loss of the anchor or weight.

Numerous variations may doubtless be devised by persons skilled in the art without departing from the principles of my invention. I, therefore, desire no limitations to be imposed on my invention, except such as are indicated in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A rope or cable lock comprising a pivoted support, a stationary support adjacent one end of said pivoted support, a dog having one end pivotally secured to said pivoted support, a second fixed support, the other end of said dog slidably mounted on said second fixed support, a rope extending over said pivoted support and under said first fixed support, means for tilting said pivoted support, said tilting adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog, said pivoted support adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position upon said rope being pulled.

2. A rope or cable lock comprising a support, a frame having a pulley at each end and being pivotally supported intermediate its ends, a dog having one end pivotally secured to said frame and the other end slidably secured to said support, a third pulley secured to said support, a rope extending over said pulleys on said frame and under said pulley secured to said support, means for tilting said frame, said tilting adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog, said pivoted frame adapted to assume a substantial horizontal position carrying said dog out of contact with :said rope upon said rope being pulled.

. 3. A rope or cable lock comprising a housing, a frame having a pulley at each end pivotally mounted in said housing, a dog having one end pivotally secured to said frame and the other end slidably secured to said housing, a third pulley secured to said housing, a rope extending over said pulleys on said frame and under said pulley secured to said housing, means for normally tilting said frame, said tilting adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog, said pivoted frame adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position carrying said dog out of contact with said rope upon said rope being pulled and said tilting means adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog upon the pulling on said rope ceasing.

4. A rope or cable lock comprising a housing, a frame having a pulley at each end pivotally mounted in said housing, a dog having one end with said dog, said pivoted frame adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position carrying said dog out of contact with said rope upon said rope being pulled and said tilting means adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog upon the pulling on said rope ceasing.

5. A rope or cable lock comprising a housing, a frame having a pulley at each end pivotally mounted in said housing, a dog having one end pivotally secured to said frame and the other end slidably secured to said housing, a third pulley secured to said housing, a rope extending over said pulleys on said frame and under said pulley secured to said housing, a resilient strip secured to said housing at one end, a split bolt supported by said housing, said strip passing through said split bolt, the free end contacting with one end of said frame to tilt it, said tilting adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog, said ivoted frame adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position carrying said dog out of contact with said rope upon said rope being pulled and said tilting means adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog upon the pulling on said rope ceasing.

6. A rope or cable lock comprising a housing, a frame having a pulley at each end pivotally mounted in said housing, a dog having one end pivotally secured to said frame and the other end slidably secured to said housing, a third pulley secured to said housing, a bushing mounted in said housing, a rope extending through said bushing over said pulley-s on said frame and un der said pulley secured to said housing, a resilient strip secured to said housing at one end, a split bolt supported by said housing, said strip passing through said split bolt, the free end contacting with one end of said frame to tilt it, said tilting adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog, said pivoted frame adapted to assume a substantially horizontal position carrying said dog out of contact with said rope upon said rope being pulled and said tilting means adapted to bring said rope into contact with said dog upon the pulling on said rope ceasing.

7. Rope lock comprising a stationary plate, pivot pins fixed on said plate, a swinging frame pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on one of said pivot pins, a dog slidably and pivotally mounted on the other pivot pin and the adjacent ends of said dog and frame being pivotally joined, pulleys mounted on said frame on opposite sides of its pivotal connection over which the rope passes, for tilting said frame in one or other direction according as the load at one end or the power at the other end predominates, the said pivot pins determining points in the sides of an angle between said dog and said frame of which the pivotal connection between said dog and frame is the apex, shifting with the tilting of said frame to make the angle between said dog and frame more or less acute, said dog coming into clamping relation to the rope passing over the adjacent one of said pulleys as the acuteness of said angle increases.

8. Rope lock comprising a stationary plate, pivot pins fixed on said plate, a swinging frame pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on one of said pivot pins, a dog slidably and pivotally mounted on the other pivot pin and the adjacent ends of said dog and frame being pivotally joined, pulleys mounted on said frame on opposite sides of its pivotal connection, over which the rope passes, for tilting said frame in one or other direction according as the load at one end or the power at the other end predominates, the said pivot pins determining points in the sides of an angle between said dog and said frame of which the pivotal connection between said dog and frame is the apex, shifting with the tilting of said frame to make the angle between said dog and frame more or less acute, and a direction changing pulley below the end of said frame adjacent said dog beneath which the power end of said rope passes for making the direction of pull of said power end on said frame substantially the same as the direction of pull of the load on the opposite end.

9. Rope lock comprising a stationary plate, pivot pins fixed on said plate, a swinging frame pivotally mounted at an intermediate point on one of said pivot pins, a dog slidably and pivotally mounted on the other pivot pin and the adjacent ends of said dog and frame being pivotally joined, pulleys mounted on said frame on opposite sides of its pivotal connection over which the rope passes, for tilting said frame in one or other direction according as the load at one end or the power at the other end predominates, the said pivot pins determining points in the sides of an angle between said dog and said frame of which the pivotal connection between said dog and frame is the apex, shifting with the tilting of said frame to make the angle between said dog and frame more or less acute, said dog having teeth coming cumulatively into biting relation to the rope passing over the adjacent one of said pulleys as the acuteness of said angle increases.

WALTER T. KLINE. 

